1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to product weighing devices and, more particularly, to high speed weighing devices that dispense a predetermined volume of product into a hopper and thereafter dribble additional product into the hopper to bring the weight of the product up to a desired predetermined weight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past various methods and machines have been used for packaging elongated products such as spaghetti, macaroni, straws, carrots, celery, pencils, and licorice sticks. These packaging machines have been developed over the years to operate at relatively high speeds. With this increase in packaging speed has developed the necessity of increasing the speed at which these elongated products can be separated into quantities of a desired weight prior to packaging. Heretofore, the packaging operations in some lines were unable to achieve maximum speed because the product weighers slowed the line down.
In addition, there has been an increasing need to weigh the product more accurately so that the amount of overweight product in each package is reduced. With the costs of the product increasing any reduction in overweight can produce a significant reduction in the overall cost of producing the product.
The present invention is an improvement of the apparatus disclosed in my earlier patent entitled "Spaghetti Wrapping Machine and Method," U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,686, by Rene Gaubert, issued Jan. 25, 1966.